Improvement in car-couplings



G. BRADLEY 8L A. H. SHERRATT. Car-Coupling.

No. 220,797. Patented Oct. 21,1879.

N.PETFRS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHEW. wAsHmGl'oN. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT CIEFIGEr GEORGE BRADLEY AND ANDREW H. SHERRATT, OF ROOKFORD, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNORS TOTHEMSELVES AND JOHN H. SHERRATT, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,797., dated October 2l, 1879; application filed July 31, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE BRADLEY and ANDREW H. SHERRATT, all of the city of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new andl construction, and adapted to employ the usual coupling-link to couple the cars when run together, Without the aid of an attendant.

structed the coupling represented inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view as seen from the under side, of which Fig. 2 is a side elevation, having a portion of one of the lengthwise beams B broken away; Fig. 3, a central lengthwise verticalsection on dotted line a'. Fig. 4 is a horizo-ntal sect-ion on dotted line y and Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on dotted line z.-

In the figures, the block A is employed to represent the outlines of a portion of a common box-car, such as are usually employed on railroads, to the under side of which is fixed, lengthwise thereof, the lengthwise beams B, which are rectangular in cross-section and are placed a proper distance apart to receive the draw-head between them, in which separated position they are iirmly fixed to the under side of the car.

At C is represented that portion of the draw-head usually known as the bumperhead,7 and is constructed in the usual manner, having the walls of its outer end ilaring outward, producing afunnelformed central opening, adapted to direct the coupling-link to its center.

The rear portion of this bumper-head is itted to receive the forward portion of the side draw-bars a, the 'ends of which abut against a shoulder, b, formed on the inner surface of its vertical sides. These parts are firmly connected by means of rivets, screws,

bolts, or other sufficient means. The rear ends of the draw-bars a are joined by means of a block, o, placed between them, to which they are firmly joined by welding the parts, or by other suftcient means. The rear portion of the draw-head is composed of a stirruplike portion, AD, the forward ends ot' which overlap the block c, which is placed between the rear ends of the draw-bars a, and are firmly joined to its upper and under sides by weldin'g the parts, orby means of rivets, bolts, screws, or other equivalent mea-ns.

These parts, consisting of the bumper-head C, the edgewise vertical bars a, and the edgewise horizontal stirrup-like portion D, joined y to each other in the manner substantially as To this end we have designed and con-` described, constitute the draw-head.

E represents a lever draft-hook made in the form represented, and is pivoted in the drawhead on the horizontal pivot-bolt d in such a manner as to permit its free ends to move vertically. Its forward portion is of hook form, as at e, having its outer portion inclined in latch form to receive the coupling-link between it and theinner surface of the lower inclined portion of the bumper-head, which action in coupling cars will cause the hook to rise to permit the link to enter, and will drop to engage the link. At f is represented a portion of the lever draft-hook, which depends below the hook portion, and is employed as a check to receive the end of the link to arrest its inward movement. The rear portion, h, of the lever draft-hook is made in link or loop form to receive a cam, i, mounted on a roekshaft, k, supported in bearings in the lengthwise beams B. The outer end of the rockshaft k is fitted with crank-like weighted arms l, limited in their movements by staple-like loops m. These parts are adjusted in such a manner that, the weighted arms resting in their lowest positionon the guide-staples, the cani i will be in the position represented in solid lines, with its upward portion resting agniast the under side of the upper portion of the loop end of the lever draft-hook rearward of the rock-shaft. This cam action serves to hold the hook end of the lever draft-bar in its lowest position to prevent the accidental unhooking of the couplinglink. The point of contact of the cam t' with the under face of' the upper bar of the link or loop portion of the hook draft-bar being rearward of the rockshai't, which is the pivotal center of the cam, permits the parts to move into the position represented in dotted lines, when the link is forced into position between the hook e and the upper inclined face of the lower portion of the bumper, and when the link has passed under the hook c, the weighted arms of thc roclrshaft will return the parts to the position as in solid lilies.

The cam t' is of suoli form that if'the weighted arms are raised to the position of the dotted lines its under side will press on the under bar of the link or looped portion ofthe leverhook draft-bar, which will move the parts into the position of the dotted lilies and permit the coupling-lilik to slip from the coupling-head to nncouple the ears or to remove the coupling-link.

The upper and lower sides of the bumperhead are slotted lengthwise to permit ot the requisite vertical movement ofthe lever-hook coupling-bar.

n are depending arm portions of the cam, into which is fitted the swinging loop o, to which is iixed the cord p which passes upward in a convenient position to be operated to uncouple the cars by an attendant on the platform or on the deck of the cars.

r represents sliding heads iitted to enter the looped or stirrup rear portion of the drawhead crosswise, and their outer ends are reduced to enter and slide lengthwise in the slotted guide-plates s Fixed to the inner sides of the beams B.

t represents a coiled spring placed in the looped portion of the draw-head, between the sliding heads, operating to relieve the shock in coupling cars and in starting and stopping the trains.

urepresents a screw-bolt passed lengthwise,

centrally, through the spring and its casing, and is employed to give additional strength to the parts.

yr represents a coupling-link which is of the usual form commonly employed in coupling cars.

The link or loop form of the rear portion ot' the lever-hook drawbar permits of the backand-forth movement of the draw-head without interfering; with the free operation of the cam placed therein to hold the hook in position or to uneouple the cars.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by our improvement we produce a self conplingdeviee, and by means ot' the cranklike arms on the sides of the car they can be uneoupled by an attendant at the side of the car, and by means of the rope-connection with the cam they may be uncoupled by au attendant on the platform or on the deck ot' the car.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination, with the draw-head, of a draft-hook pivoted between its ends to the draw-head, the rear end ot said draft-hook being ot link or loop form, and a cam located within the link-opening, and adapted to impart a positive movement to the draft-hook either upwardly or downwardly, as desired, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a draw-head, and a draft-hook pivoted thereto, the rear end of said draft-hook heilig of link or loop form, of a cam secured to a rock-shaft furnished with weighted arms, said cam located within the 1ink-openin g and adapted to impart a positive movement to the draft-hook to raise or depress the same, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE BRADLEY. ANDREW H. SHERRATT. Witnesses:

A. t). BEHEL, JACOB BEHEL. 

